Compare towns
Harvard vs Ossipee vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Harvard | Ossipee | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927 |
4,521Lowest |
6,976Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$90,521±$22kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$325,500±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$427,600±$36k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,481±$421 5% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
33 min 27% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #100 of 120 in NH | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.